Laced shoes are very comfortable to wear because the user can tighten the laces to suit his preference and to compensate for stretching of the upper, swollen feet and so forth. One problem with laced shoes, however, is that they often become untied during use requiring the wearer to stop what he is doing and retie his shoes. This is especially a problem for young children who usually cannot tie their own shoes until they are about six or seven years old but who insist on doing things themselves and sometimes break the counter by stepping in and out without untying the bow.
Velcro closures address the problems associated with laced shoes but give the shoe an undistinguished appearance that lacks the decorative aspect or grown-up look of a lace. In addition, the ripping sound of opening the closure is distracting and irresistibly fascinating to children.
A number of difference devices have been proposed for clamping on bows to keep them from untying. These devices, however, do not eliminate the need for tying a bow. Other devices function as clutches to take the place of a bow. These latter devices, while obviating the need for tying a bow, are easily slid off the free ends of the lace and are therefore hazardous for young children. The shoe tying system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,373 to Maslow partially confronts the latter objection by tying the free ends of the laces to the front of the shoe. For the Maslow system to work, however, the laces must be left long giving the shoes a sloppy appearance and the knot can be untied and the cord-lock slid off.
In view of the above, there is a need for a shoe closure system and method for tying which does away with the need to tie a bow and which does not slip off the lace. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a system and method. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the constructions and methods hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.